Regulators mounted to support structures and electrically connected to electrical power distribution systems regulate voltage in the system to prevent overvoltage and undervoltage conditions despite varying load conditions. Regulators may also be used to control voltage during peak and reduced demand periods to optimize operating conditions.
Bypass switch assemblies may be used to provide an economical and practical method of bypassing current and disconnecting regulators to provide maintenance to the regulators without interrupting electrical service provided by the electrical distribution system. Once the regulator has been isolated from the electrical distribution system, maintenance may be performed on the regulator without impairing continuous electrical power.
Switch assemblies are generally used to isolate and connect regulators from and to the electrical distribution system. Typically, existing switch assemblies require multiple operations to open and close the required blades to isolate and connect the regulator from the electrical system while maintaining continuous electrical power. Requiring multiple operations to open and close various blades is inefficient and increases the amount of time needed to isolate or connect the regulator. Moreover, multiple blade operations may result in an operator inadvertently forgetting to open or close one of the blades, thereby not isolating or connecting the regulator from or to the electrical system or not maintaining a continuous supply of electrical power. While not maintaining a continuous supply of electrical power is inconvenient to those relying on the supply of electrical power, not isolating the regulator from the system could be highly dangerous to the operator providing maintenance to the regulator. A need exists for a regulator bypass switch assembly that moves all the blades in a single operation, thereby reducing the likelihood of operator error and operator injury.
Interrupters are often used in these systems to interrupt expected regulator exciting currents during bypass operation. Residual current often resides between the load side disconnect blade and its mating contact through the interrupter. A need exists for a regulator bypass switch assembly that breaks this current path without requiring additional operations by the operator.
Therefore, a need exists for improved regulator bypass switch assemblies.